Blau
by S'revan
Summary: DISCONT. Some people die, some people are shocked, and some people cry. And Schuldich can talk to the dead. Yay for him, yay for the new Persia, and boo for Mr. Takatori.
1. What Has Gone Before

Disclaimer: I'm not telling you what anime/manga I'm using here just yet, but I don't own it. Kerry is mine, Drago is partially mine.  
  
-----~~~-~~~-----  
  
Blau  
  
What Has Gone Before  
  
-----~~~-~~~-----  
  
"Eh?" he said, then jumped back out of the range of the blade. "Oi, oi, why are you attacking ~me~?"  
  
"You have been attacking villagers."  
  
"I have not!"  
  
"The villagers have been attacked by a vampire. You are the only one around."  
  
"Come on, I'm no more vampire than you are! Calm down."  
  
"There are no other vampires in this place."  
  
"D, this ~really~ isn't like you."  
  
"I have been hired to kill you."  
  
The other man, Drago, dodged yet another strike and winced slightly when his hand got nicked. "To kill me, or to kill the vampire that has been attacking the villagers?"  
  
"They believe you to be the same."  
  
"The only reason why I'm here is because you are."  
  
D was silent, but continued attacking.  
  
"If I count as a vampire, then so do you."  
  
"I am half vampire."  
  
"As am I."  
  
"I know."  
  
"D, why are you ~really~ attacking me?"  
  
"I have told you."  
  
"I see." Drago risked a holding charm. It worked, but barely. "You are trying to kill me because I am part vampire, because you are a hunter, because you have been hired to do so, because they are paying you. I: your mother's confidant."  
  
D growled.  
  
"I: to whom your father entrusted your mother until he could fully escape the Hellsing family."  
  
"..."  
  
"I: who can do nothing in return."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I cannot harm you. You know that."  
  
"I do not."  
  
Drago sighed and, pulling a chair from nowhere, dropped into it. "Hermione never told you?"  
  
"My mother died before I was fully grown."  
  
"From magical overuse, I know. I miss her too, D."  
  
"You barely knew her."  
  
"On the contrary: we grew up together." Drago sighed. "Will you hear me out, or do I have to keep restraining you."  
  
"I will hear you."  
  
The older, platinum blond man muttered something under his breath, and visibly relaxed as D moved again, to sheathe his sword. "Sit down. It is a long tale, but it includes many others, such as how your parents met, how I became what I am, what my oath is, why the guardians of this world do not interfere, and why we still exist today. Hopefully - Kerry?"  
  
"What is it?" It was a disembodied voice, no more.  
  
"I do not know everything D should. Will you help me tell him?"  
  
"I'm not in the story."  
  
Funny, he thought she was. Ah well. "That means you can tell it, though, right?"  
  
"Yes." She stepped through an invisible door.  
  
Kerry was... not indescribable, but full of contradictions. She was good and evil and neutral, hate and love and indifference, beautiful and ugly, wonderful and terrible. She reminded him of his father and his mother and himself and a thousand other people he had known, and more. She was the embodiment of character, the storyteller.  
  
He remembered her from stories his mother would tell him, before-  
  
He would not think about that.  
  
"So you desire a tale," she said, smiling, and held out her hand. On her palm, a spark of light became a miniature of a man, with long green hair and golden eyes, in a double-breasted jacket and what looked like the semi- formal wear he remembered from his childhood underneath. The man looked angry, frozen in the act of something that looked violent. Slowly, his surroundings filled in and D could see the door handle in the man's hand and other people, not yet completely formed, near by. He could almost hear something being said, and then everything was there, he was there, only he wasn't there, and all he could do was. "Watch." 


	2. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own Weiß Kreuz or any of the _three_ character designs used. I'm just using the manga descriptions, since they're the original ones. I'm also sure you can go figure out who does own Weiß if you wanted to.

-----~~~-~~~-----

Blau

Prologue

-----~~~-~~~-----

Schuldich stormed out of the room, out of the hall, and out of the building. Brad Crawford looked after him for a moment before tuning his steely gaze to Nagi. "The shipment?" he reminded not-so-subtly. 

"They said it wouldn't be in until tomorrow," Nagi said.

"Check anyway."

Nagi sighed and left. He didn't slam the door quite so hard as Schuldich had. 

One person left to go. But as Crawford turned to him, Farfarello shook his head. Ye're not gettin' me out o' here, he said gruffly. Ye really dunna think we'll survive?

You're not supposed to be this bright, Crawford groused. 

Ach, deal wi' it. Schwarz has been the closest thing to a family in a long time. I'm not lettin' it go wi'out a fight.

As you will.

Farfarello grinned. 

There was a creak of the door opening, and the two men tensed themselves for the last fight of their lives. 

~~~-~~~

Not two blocks away from the nearest bar, Schuldich stopped and cursed himself for a fool. He'd been so bloody angry he hadn't even wondered why Crawford wanted him out of the house. Throwing his senses back where he had come from, he could feel the particular blankness that was a shielded mind. And another. And another. He counted Damn! With that many, not only was there no hope of his teammates surviving – except for Nagi, who he could feel some distance away – but a telepath almost his equal was with them, one that had been resting and preparing several months. He _could_ have taken the other one out had he been as rested, but they had been fighting so much recently that he was no match. Damn, damn, damn! He turned abruptly and ran back to their headquarters' in Japan.

-

He threw open the door and stopped in his tracks. Blasted. The entire place was blasted. There had been fires, and there had been guns, and there had been many deaths. But all the bodies had been cleared out and a blood-trap had been laid by the door. If he took even one step in, his footprints would stand out clearly where no others existed. Cursing under his breath again, he cleared his mind to sort through the psychic impressions left by death. His heart wrung itself like a dish towel and at the same time he felt proud. Twenty-seven men had died here, from shortly after Nagi left to only a few minutes before he arrived. Unfortunately, the last two to die had been Crawford and Farfarello. 

He scrubbed an errant tear from his eye before taking a step back and vaulting over the blood-trap to go collect his things, Nagi's things, and mementos of his comrades. To remember Farfarello, he took the straight jacket and wrapped in it those knives that remained. To remember Crawford, he took a pair of matched handguns – one enameled black, one polished to a silvery-steel shine – and a monogrammed handkerchief. Everything collected, he carried it all to his car and pulled out, leaving the rest behind. 

After parking rather innocuously in a random shopping mall parking lot chosen for its proximity both to Nagi and to Schuldich's own destination, he sent a weary thought out to warn the telekinetic of what happened and made his way to a particular church.

~~~-~~~

Ken stiffened. Something wasn't right. It felt like a killer had just entered the church. He turned away from the flowers he was replacing and looked around for anything suspicious. 

He started forward angrily when he saw the green-haired man, but the slightly-pained serenity of his face stopped him short. Ken rubbed his eyes and looked again. Schuldich _never_ looked like this. What the hell was going on?

He whapped himself for swearing in a church, even in his thoughts, started forward again. 

-

What are you doing?

Schuldich turned and smirked. It was one of the kittens. I _was_ talking to Ruth, before you cut me off mid-thought.

Ken blinked. But she died. Farfarello killed her.

That doesn't mean I can't talk to her. He tapped his head meaningfully.

Another blink. Idly, Schuldich wondered if those were eye-exercises, and if they did him any good. I guess, Ken said, nodding slowly. What about?

Schuldich smirked again, and this time he looked tired. I could say that it's a secret But, he shrugged, I don't feel like it. I was simply telling Ruth that her son has died.

Farfarello. You didn't know?

I was there, but it was so confusing

Tch. How can you be a good assassin if you're so slow on the uptake?

Ken gaped at him.

Don't worry, there's no one within hearing distance. And yes: Farfarello and Crawford died about— he checked his watch —twenty minutes ago. Twenty-two. It would seem that some of our ex-cohorts didn't take to the death of their leaders at their hands too well.

Ken continued gaping. Wh-Why are you telling me this?

Same reason we never killed you. Schuldich stepped by him and walked to the door. I'll see you again sometime. Maybe next time we'll even work together. And with a wave of his hand over his shoulder he was gone. 

_Huh_, Ken thought as he turned back to his arrangement a little later. _Huh. Odd._

~~~-~~~

Nagi and Omi had been giving each other wary looks from the arcade they had somehow met at when Nagi suddenly looked shocked and turned away. When he saw a tear seeping down the other's cheek, Omi came hesitantly to his sometimes-friend, sometimes-enemy and put a hand on his shoulder. Are you alright?

Okay. Let's go sit down somewhere, alright?

Nagi nodded and let himself be lead to a bench in the corner of the arcade, dark because no lights shone in its direction. He sat a little unsteadily and buried his face in his hands. 

Omi rubbed Nagi's back and watched on a little helplessly as he tried to contain his emotions and deal with whatever had bothered him. He was almost relieved when Schuldich entered and took over the task of soothing Nagi. 

What happened? Omi asked at last. 

Ask your grandfather, Nagi said bitterly. It's his fault.

Schuldich sighed. Brad and Farfarello got killed by members of a group whose leaders we took out under the elder Takatori's orders.

Omi said.

But of course, _Persia_. We've always worked for the same man, if occasionally on opposing sides.

But why would he set us against each other?

Eh, he's perverse old psycho, like the rest of the family. Your father thought he was saving you from the madness by making you an assassin instead of someone in charge, and it seems he may have been right. If he was, it'll have been the first time in way too many generations to count right now.

How do you know?

Schuldich rolled his eyes. I'm a _telepath_, katzchen. I carry the memories of my predecessor, who carries the memories of _his_ predecessor, and so on until the beginning of the line. It's quite fatiguing.

Nagi finally pulled away and straightened himself. Why are you being so talkative, Schu?

Because Mr. Takatori wants us to join Weiß.

Omi and Nagi whisper/yelled at the same time.

He knows? You told him? Nagi hissed.

Nein. It's just always been his plan. If Weiß falls, stick em in Schwarz, and vice versa. And you _know_ what he's like about orders.

Both Nagi and Omi shuddered.

Come on, Nagi. I've got our stuff. Shall we go find out if Fujimiya's hair really is red, and his eyes really are violet?

Omi snorted. And we'll find out if your hair is really green too, I suppose?

My eyebrows are green, Schuldich said, raising one of them for emphasis. 

You could have dyed them too.

Even though they tell you not to, Schuldich mused. I should know: I thought about going copper-red for a while

Coming, coming. See you soon, Omi. And they were gone.

Omi's thoughts were very similar to Ken's.

-----~~~-~~~-----

Okay, at this time (Spring of '03) not many people reading this will have seen even bits of the second season of Weiß Kreuz (Glühen) but I have, so nyeah! I'm going to use it in this story anyway. I have no idea just exactly when this story takes place in the regular timeline, and that's how it's going to stay.

And for those of you who have seen or heard of Glühen: the word has to do with glowing, tempering, and smoldering. It is by no means The Last Mission,' no matter what the secondary title may be. [Last, as far as I can tell, would be zuletzt,' and mission would probably be der kampfauftrag,' but since I don't take German, I can't be sure.]


	3. Moving On

I've gotten _way_ too used to having typing space up here. Okay, so, some explanations! "Blah" is the main language - in this case, Japanese. **Blah** is telepathic speech for members of Schwarz. */Blah/* is telepathic speech for members of Weiß. //Blah// is telepathic speech for anyone who isn't used to it. And, should we get to it, ^Blah^ is German. Of course, _blah_ is thought when it's appropriate and emphasis when it's not. And 'blah' is something that's being quoted. 

-----~~~-~~~-----

Blau

Moving On

-----~~~-~~~-----

No, I haven't been dying my hair in secret! It's like this naturally!

Yeah, right. You just do it to get attention from the girls.

Why would I want to do that?

Yohji couldn't use the next line he'd been preparing, so he just gaped at Schuldich, who seemed genuinely confused After working his mouth for a moment: You mean you're—

Nothing of the sort. It's just that the girls who come here drool enough without me helping them along. We'll have to start sponging if off the floor if it gets any worse.

But don't you _want_ them to drool over you?

Not particularly. Schuldich picked up a pot of petunias and carried it over to the window display he was rearranging. **One: most of them are too young for me. Two: I don't really enjoy seeing idolized or perverted versions of myself at the center of their fantasies. Leaves a bad taste in my mouth.**

You don't like it that we like you? a schoolgirl whined at him. 

I don't mind that you like me, he said, smiling down at her in that particularly charming way that not even Yohji could quite reproduce, but if you drool, then I'll have to clean it up, and the flowers will wilt.

The girl (and the three behind her) sighed adoringly and promised not to drool. 

He rewarded her with a touch to her cheek and stepped around her to go get another pot for the display. **Stop glowering, Yohji; you'll frighten our customers.**

*/They're not _customers_, Shou'. With all the girls coming back to see your pretty face, it's a wonder anyone willing to _buy_ anything manages to make it in the door./*

**Calm down, liebste. Flirt a bit, make a few sales, and I'll do Ran's thing in a bit.**

Yohji sent a thbbbt' in Schuldich's – aka Shou's – general mental direction, but did as he was told. He looked up, much surprised, to find out that almost an hour had passed when Schuldich raised his voice and said, Everyone, if you're not going to buy something, please make room for those who will.

Come on, he said, still smiling. If you're not planning to purchase something, out. And he ushered a few of them out for emphasis. 

They left, followed shortly by the real customers as they made their purchases, and the shop had a lull.

Ran's thing? Yohji asked, a brow raised.

Yes, but I was more polite, you'll notice.

I got that. _Ran_'s thing?

I knew his sister first.

Yohji opened his mouth to protest that he didn't understand when the door slammed open and Nagi and Omi raced in. They both went for Schuldich, but Nagi got there first. Ha! I win!

So you do. Schuldich smiled again, and although he felt he should have been used to it, Yohji still felt odd seeing that. I take it the day was boring again?

More stuff we already know, Omi said, and Nagi nodded in agreement. Makes me want to turn delinquent at times, just to get away.

But then you won't get into college, Schuldich pointed out, as he removed his apron and handed it over. See you in a bit, guys. I'm taking a shower.

And dying your hair.

I told you, I don't! It's natural!

Feh! Green hair—

What's wrong with green hair?

The door jangled belatedly as a rather small young woman – almost a girl – with _purple_ hair and baggy clothing walked in. 

Startled, Yohji tried to explain. Well, it's not—

Natural? Of course it is. I can see that. She nodded at Schuldich, who was halfway though the back door.

How can you see it? Omi asked.

She shrugged. Same way I can see he's a telepath.

_What?_

More nervously, Omi repeated, How can you see it?

I was an avatar for a while; nothing big. Do you have any nasturtiums?

Yes, we do. Nagi finished tying on the apron and moved over to where they were shelved. Do you have a preference?

She glanced around the store first before deciding. That bunch of all orange ones, there. Third from the right.

Yes, ma'am. 

Please don't call me ma'am. It makes me feel old.

You certainly don't _look_ old, Miss

D'arcy Collins. Are you going to give your friend your apron, or is he going to just stand there doing nothing?

Okay, so she wasn't interested in flirting. Sorry, Omi. Here.

Thank you. Was I that obvious, Miss Collins?

Only to me. Ah, that'll do nicely.

Anything else? Nagi asked.

This time she made a show of looking around. I see you have some lovely orange marigolds.

Indeed we do. Nagi moved to where they were. 

If I could have about five stems, please? And— oh! I didn't see this before!

Nagi turned to see her holding a small, yellow-orange rhododendron. It's rare, he said. 

I know. She smiled. It's perfect!

Will you be getting that as well?

Oh yes.

Nagi couldn't help but smile; her grin was infectious. Let me set everything on the counter, then, so I won't drop anything. Are you going for a theme here?

Yes. The orange is to be a sort of backdrop, to go with the magenta of that clematis. She pointed.

So I see. After setting everything down, he went and retrieved the mentioned plant and put it with the others. Is there anything else you'd like?

I'd _like_ a lot of things. She grinned again. But for this project, I'll only want some leafs of fern, a block of foam, and a small pot. Do you have a color other than white?

I'm sure we do. Omi, could you

Omi disappeared into the back room and returned shortly with the fern, the foam, and a small watering can. We have white, navy, green-and-white striped, and a pebbly sort of grey.

Darn, I wanted black. Could I have the grey?

Omi smiled and handed what he had already retrieved to Nagi and disappeared again. 

Will you be wanting this arranged? Nagi asked.

No, thank you. I prefer to do that myself.

You can do that here, if you like. We have some stools and a counter, and since there's no one else here

She smiled again. Thank you.

It's just this way. Nagi looked at everything to carry over, looked at the girl, and decided that since she could tell what Schuldich was, she probably knew about him too, and moved everything telekinetically, including the pot that was just coming though the back door.

She was not surprised. 

Shove over, Yohji, you're in the way, Omi scolded. What are you still doing here? You usually scamper as soon as possible.

Just thinking. He moved out of the way nonetheless, and sat down at another of the stools to watch the arrangement take form.

D'arcy ignored him with the finesse of someone who has dealt with onlookers her entire life. For longer than her life, in fact. It was rather disturbing.

You're very good, he said at last.

It's a talent of mine.

Do you mind my asking how old you are?

I have no idea.

Do you want my physical age or my real age?

Yohji blinked. He must have picked it up from Ken. There's a difference?

Like I said, I was an avatar for a while, and gods don't age. I've been nineteen for a while.

Are you sure you can pay for this? Some of what you've ordered are expensive, and—

D'arcy put down the flower she had just picked up, withdrew a hundred dollar bill, and waved it at him. 

He stared at it.

I've got money, she said, smiling again, and put the piece of paper away in order to finish her project. 

Nagi snorted. Looks like we'll have to clean out the register earlier than usual.

Indeed. How's this?

Have you done this before? Omi asked.

Not with these colors. It's been a while since I worked with a viney thing, too.

You definitely have a talent for this.

So I'm told. She stood up and carried the pot over to the register. How much?

After paying, she started to leave, then stopped and half-turned in the doorway. Be seeing you, she said. Even if you don't recognize me when the time comes.

What do you mean? Nagi asked.

You'll know when it's time for you to know, she returned mysteriously. Thank you for your help, Nagi. It was much appreciated. And she walked out the door.

We didn't call you by name the entire time you were here, did we? Yohji said. 

No, we didn't. Omi agreed. Wonder how she knew?

Probably the same way she knew about me, Schuldich said from the shadows he had been lounging in. And for the same reason why I can't feel her mind at all.

She's shielded that well?

No. As far as my senses could tell, she just wasn't there. Like an illusion that takes up space.

Is that bad?

I have no idea.

~~~-~~~

Nagi poked his head around the door. Ran? Everyone's hungry, and it's your turn to make dinner.

Thinking about Aya?

Ran shook his head and looked up. The smile sat awkwardly on his lips, which made sense because lips don't really stick out enough to make good seating material. He managed anyway. I know she's okay.

You're still used to doing everything for her sake. I'm worried about her too.

She's her own person. And she did leave me a note.

Which you wouldn't let anyone else see.

Come on down and make dinner soon, okay? Or Schu says he won't let you cut your hair for a _long_ time.

Ran looked singularly unimpressed. 

**You've never had long hair, have you?** Schuldich said.

You've never had to deal with long hair, Nagi said at the same time. Farf cut Schu's hair once. He wouldn't let any of us cut ours until his grew back. And my hair grows fast. He made a moue.

How long?

Nagi made a motion to about halfway between midback and his waist. When you shower, the loose hairs go down your back and stick between your thighs. It's nasty.

**And you have ten minutes to get started before you suffer a like fate.**

*/Shut up. I'm coming./*

You haven't gotten up yet, Nagi pointed out.

Ran stood and made his way downstairs. 

-----~~~-~~~-----

Wheee! Reviews!

**Neko Lynn** -   
Um I worked on this for a while, and then forgot about it, and then remembered it and worked on it again, and then forgot again, and now I've taken it up again. Wahooo!

**Misura** -   
I miss him too. But! Brad will be back. I'm not done with him yet. And don't forget: Schuldich can talk to the dead.  
Well, Hirofumi was psycho, Masafume was very psycho, and Reiji was a panda man, so why not? Besides that, in Glühen [spoiler, spoiler!] we find out that the man who's really giving all the orders (and who's behind Kritiker) is old Mr. Takatori, Omi's grandad. And I _like_ the idea of an entire family being mad!

Alright, does _anyone_ remember what D'arcy Collins is from?


	4. German Kabuki

Disclaimer: And it begins. I do not own Weiß Kreuz, I do not own Gundam Wing, and I do not own the Sandman. I do own Ilde, Min, Bryn, Makizeen, and D'arcy (even though she's not coming back) and Farblos. So there. 

More explanation - /*blah*/ is how the new Schwarz communicate telepathically. Also, remember: ^blah^ is German.

-----~~~-~~~-----

Blau

German Kabuki

-----~~~-~~~-----

Schuldich figured he was dreaming when Crawford and Farfarello became not-Crawford and not-Farfarello. Not-Farfarello looked a lot like Farfarello, but she had both eyes and she had breasts. Not-Crawford looked like a Crawford, but as a sister rather than Brad himself. 

This was one hell of a lucid dream.

For a bit, he thought he saw himself join then, but no, it was a not-Schuldich, and the not-Nagi that was with here had hair that resembled _Yohji's_. But she was very definitely female, too. He _really_ hoped he wouldn't have this dream again.

/*If you do, it's your own fault.*/ Not-Schuldich seemed amused. /*There's only white right now, but we'll be putting on a twisted version of German kabuki fairly soon. The enemy if contained in your hair but not in your eyes, and the uneducated masses tend to think of it as an impossibility in flowers. And those with red hair and green eyes aren't human. You should tell your teammates about this, so the ball can start rolling.*/

The four women faded out and were replace by six others: a not-Yohji, a not-Omi, a not-Ran, a not-Ken, and two others that were too hidden in shadows to make out as anybody or not-anybody.

/*Oh yes,*/ not-Schuldich added. /*You really should give up the name. 'Guilty' isn't how people would describe you any more.*/

~~~-~~~

and that's it.

Was it just a dream?

No. There's someone else nearby, and they gave me the message.

So you weren't just remembering Crawford and Farfarello? Nagi asked.

That's what it started out as.

The original members of Weiß were silent for a moment or two to let their ex-enemies have a moment to mourn. 

Ken said when he got bored with that, let's see what we can do to figure out the message. What was the first part again?

'There's only white right now, but we'll be putting on a twisted version of German Kabuki fairly soon.'

Write it down, Omi suggested. Then we can go over it as much as necessary without worrying about losing part of it.

His suggestion was put into action.

'There's only white right now' Huh. Yohji worried at his lip.

I'm more worried about the kabuki thing right now, Nagi said. He stared at it a bit longer. This looks like the kind of thing we would have done, back when we were Schwarz.

Okay, I've got an idea. Weiß is German for 'white,' right?

It is.

And Schwarz is 'black.'

Your point? Ran growled.

The three main colors associated with kabuki are white, black, and red. I'm going with colors because that seems to be repeated throughout. Those three colors in German are

Weiß, schwarz, and rot.

Right. Weiß is the only group in existence or operating right now, which would make sense with the idea of there only being white. So my guess is that not-Schuldich was saying that there'll be another two groups joining us soon – one named Schwarz and one named Rot. And either one of them is the enemy or there's another group that all of us will be fighting against. Nagi turned to him. 'Contained in your hair but not in your eyes.' Again, probably color.

My hair is green. My eyes are gold.

Or yellow, Ran added.

Green without yellow is blue, Omi said. And a lot of people do think that blue flowers can't exist.

'Blue' is blau.

So they're the enemy. Wonder if there will be any Takatori involved?

Ran growled. 

And the rest of it seems to be a warning against people we come across in the future. He stood up. It's almost time to open shop. He paused to think about what he hadn't told them of the dream. And I think I'll be going by my public name permanently now.

No one said anything, but the _Why?_ hung almost visibly in the air.

Schuldig means 'guilty.' That's not me any more. He started to walk to the front of the shop to open up, but was brought up short by the sound of soft applause. 

not-Schuldich said from the shadows. She stepped into the light, revealing herself in all her green-haired, golden-eyed, black-clothed glory. You figured it out for yourselves. Even if the prodigy did do most of the thinking.

Who are you?

She looked evenly at Ran and told him, ^I don't feel like speaking a language you comprehend.^

He sighed and translated for Ran, ^Who are you?^

^Who are _you_?^

^My name is Shou. I am an assassin of Weiß.^

She nodded, smiling. ^My name is Ilde. I am an assassin of Schwarz.^

Ran growled.

she said. You operate under a German name; you should make an attempt to know at least a bit of it.

Ignoring most of what she said, Ran raised an eyebrow and looked at Shou. 

Your new nickname, Ilde said, not letting the man she was practically a copy of speak. I think you'd prefer it to Kretin.

But what does it mean?

Shou looked at Ilde, and smirked. I don't feel like telling you right now.

Ilde smirked back.

Ran growled again.

You're doing nicely, she complimented him. Now you need to work on keeping it up while you breathe in.

This time, Ran settled for glaring.

If you want to visit, let me know, and we'll tell you how to reach us. Don't be afraid to drop by. See you! She lifted slightly and faded away. 

Nagi's eyes widened. Shou, you said there was a not-Nagi as well?

She's probably part of Schwarz too. And she's _very_ good.

Ah? How do you know? Ken asked.

The better telekinetics can often teleport as well. Nagi said. I can, a bit, but it takes a lot out of me. But she can teleport _other_ _people_!

Then it's a good thing she's on our side, right?

~~~-~~~

After about a week, Shou sighed and confronted his teammates again. We need to go visit Schwarz.

Ran raised an eyebrow. 

Ken wasn't looking forward to the eventual meeting as it was.

Ilde says she'll send not-Farfarello after us if we don't move it.

But that's exactly who I_ don't_ want to meet!

/*I know.*/

*/How long have you been listening in?/*

/*Even since I told Shou to pass on the message just now.*/

And you obeyed her immediately? Ran pinned a glare on Shou, who _still_ wasn't very good at following orders. 

Shou shrugged. She imitated Crawford.

Ilde giggled mentally at them.

*/How do we get there?/*

/*Go to the pavilion in the nearby park – the one by the rose beds. When the stairs down appear, take them. Our living quarters are through the second door down.*/

Yohji looked uncertain.

/*I'll meet you at the pavilion.*/

Ran sent his agreement and Ilde broke the connection. he said, standing. Let's go.

Do we have to?

When else is the shop going to be closed on a day when nothing would prevent this? Any time soon? Stop whining, Ken, and come on.

Farfarello wasn't so bad once you got to know him, Nagi added encouragingly.

Yeah, yeah, whatever. Let's just _go_, okay? Get it over with.

~~~-~~~

Ilde met them where she said they would, and showed them the staircase the appeared only when it was their turn to descend. It was rather creepy. Somewhere on the way down, Ken asked if they had to have the psycho.

Not psycho, Ilde corrected, grinning at what she _knew_ would be his reaction. Socio. Don't worry, she asks up before she starts cutting things off.

Just as Ilde's foot hit the last step, the whole group heard a calm voice, oddly familiar, but unfamiliar. "You brought them."

"Ja. You knew."

"Of course."

This was, for all she didn't look much like him aside from coloring and bone structure, not-Crawford. She was serene rather than coldly composed – at peace with herself. 

"I'm Bryn."

"And you are?"

The response and question came at almost the same time. She smiled, then repeated herself. "I'm Bryn. Maki will be done with the garden in about four minutes, and Min comes through the door as I speak."

Min – not-Nagi – aimed a playful swat at Bryn, who gracefully dodged without looking. "Alright. You can stop impressing them now."

Bryn waited for her to end her sentence, then replied, "They're only impressed because they're not used to it."

"So you're a precognitive." It wasn't surprising: Ilde was a telepath like Shou, and they knew that there was a telekinetic in the group as well, but Ran wanted to be sure. 

"Yes. I mostly work with just a reaction time away, which means that I am always right. It is all the time. I can look farther into the future, but then it is so changeable and hard to see. Unless I become the oracle, that is all I can do."

Min snorted. 

'All,' she says. Ilde rolled her eyes.

It isn't much without you, Bryn insisted.

Ilde waved it off like the old argument it was, cocked an eyebrow, and jerked her head at Ken, looking at Min, who snorted again, but smiled.

Maki comes in now, Bryn murmured.

Ken ignored Ilde and Min in favor of swinging around and freezing as he locked gazes with two red eyes, set in a deeply scarred, pale face, and surrounded by a mess of red hair. 

Not-Farfarello blinked at him, then moved to put away the shears. She handed an assortment of blooms and leaves to Min, who floated them into the vase on the table. Then she perched on a side counter and looked at Ilde. "Who are they?"

Ilde smiled. "This is Weiß, another assassin group. We'll be working with them. Ken, Omi, Ran, Yohji, Nagi, Shou, this is Makizeen."

Ken gulped. He still expected to see her lunge at him. "Who was Makizeen, originally?"

Much to his surprise and dismay, Makizeen herself perked up at that. "Makizeen is one of the Lilim – Lilith's children. Oh! If you ever come across a lady in a hood and wearing a half-mask -- the kind that covers the left half, not the top -- and a gentleman with orange hair styled in an odd manner, be very careful about what you do next." She nodded for emphasis.

"Maki," Bryn reprimanded gently. "Save your powers of fright for tonight. We will have a mission."

"Will we be in it?" Omi wanted to know. He and the rest of Weiß sat down at some shooing and waited for an answer.

Bryn frowned slightly, concentrating. "I think so. I see us, and I see people who are not us, and are not female, and we are not against them. So yes, unless something happens to make a fairly large change."

Omi nodded.

Meanwhile, Makizeen grinned as a sudden thought came into her mind. Contacting Ilde, she asked, /*Can I...*/

Ilde grinned back at her. /*Thought you would. Already asked.*/

Having gotten an affirmative reply, Makizeen caught Ken's attention. She gave him a lethal stare, then leaped at him and with a cry of "SPWINGY!" threw her arms about him and kissed him square on the lips.

Ken fell out of his chair, rolled to a wall, and came up in a defensive stance, panting. His hand was clenched as if sheer force of will could bring his bugnuk into existence.

Makizeen smiled at him from her new seat – in _his_ chair – and stuck her tongue out at him before pulling a chocolate bar out of her pocket and munching on it. 

-----~~~-~~~-----

I got this lovely little card in a Weiß Kreuz CD I bought. It contained the basic stats of Ken. I'm going with how _they_ spell Ken's weapon - bugnuk, or tiger's teeth. So no trying to change my mind on this matter!

No reviews? Awwww...


	5. Angels and Evils

Disclaimer: I do not own Weiß Kreuz. I do not own the idea for angelic heritage (that belongs to Neko Lynn and her story, _Child's Play_). I do own the new Schwarz and I do own Farblos and I do own Blau (the group). I especially own Leila and Ryushi - they're my favorite couple at the moment.

-----~~~-~~~-----

Blau

German Kabuki

-----~~~-~~~-----

Ken had – eventually – gotten over the kiss Makizeen gave him, but he still had a tendency to be extremely careful around her, and to put someone else between her and him. 

Please stop moving around, Ken. You're making it difficult to see anything else.

Sorry, Bryn. But he moved anyway.

You're scared of what I represent.

Makizeen looked at him. I remind you of Farfarello. You don't like that.

yes.

Did he kiss you too?

Ken blushed. No! He didn't!

She shrugged and settled herself more comfortably in her perch on the back of the couch.

Yohji and Omi got over Shou and my presence in your ranks long ago. What's with Farf that he still haunts you? Nagi asked.

Ken snorted. He slammed me against walls, pillars – tried to bash my head in – so many times. And no matter _what_ I did, it never made a _difference_!

Makes sense, Ilde mused, given his angelic heritage.

His what?

You didn't know? Ilde blinked at Shou. ß were dropping plenty of hints – all about their new kingdom and then there was that odd ceremony Didn't Aya ever seem like a sacrificial lamb to you?

Well, yes, but 

How religious was ß? Ken interrupted.

Min told him. They were trying to bring about the apocalypse. The Elders were a sacrifice they were willing to make to draw out everyone's full potential. Schwarz, they believed to be the four angels destined to kill 1/3 of the world's population. Weiß, the four horsemen. They were partially right.

What happened to stop it?

Crawford sacrificed himself for his teammates. Shou, Nagi – the group that attacked and killed Crawford and Farfarello was supposed to have gone against all four of you and _lost_. After that, no matter how you struggled, you would have wound up fulfilling the prophesy. Instead, two angels died' and the other two joined the horsemen, and ß was torn apart.

If killing the Elders didn't do it, Nagi asked, then what did?

Makizeen said, and went back to staring at Ken.

Ran asked.

Makizeen remained silent. 

Please don't mention them, Shou said.

Yohji blinked. Huh? Why? What's wrong with—

This time it was Nagi; he had paled considerably.

Who are they?

Ran glared at the room in general when no one answered him. Shou and Nagi seemed disinclined to talk, Makizeen was still looking fixedly at Ken, Min was watching everyone, and Ilde was snickering quietly to herself. Yohji and Omi looked completely clueless, and Ken looked disturbed, but that was probably because of Makizeen.

The Evils, Bryn said at last, as they are sometimes known, is a group of five people used by ß to keep the rest of their operatives in line. One of their main functions is to deprive those unfortunate enough to be chosen for elimination of color; hence their name.

We've fought talented' people before.

We never really tried to kill you, Shou said, a bit raggedly. It was mostly a sort of game for old Mr. Takatori's amusement. And we're _nothing_ compared to them.

Hey, come on, Yohji said. How bad could it be?

One of them is a telepath, Nagi said. They – we couldn't even tell if they were male or female – would perform completely random mind-sweeps to detect any thought of treachery. And when it was our turn He shuddered.

They were completely out of my range, Shou said. And they were just as strong as if they'd been standing right next to me. It's a feeling I never want to experience ever again: a feeling of being completely _known_ in an instant.

But they got rid of ß, right? Omi said. Tore it apart. That means they're at least a little on our side, right?

It probably doesn't even matter, Ken added. They may never come near us, and we probably won't have to go after them either.

They watch. Makizeen did not grin at making the entire room jump, choosing instead to try to look through the ceiling. But they remain neutral. Calm down.

She's right, Bryn added. I do not foresee any conflict with them.

Nagi took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Shou closed his eyes and forced himself to relax. When he opened them, they were their normal gold color again. **Good,** he said. **I'm glad.**

~~~-~~~

~_Achoo_!~

You okay, Leila?

~_Achoo_! _Achoo_!~

Yeah, it's just— ~_Achoo_!~ a sneezing fit. ~_Ah_-ch~ She grabbed her nose and stopped mid-sneeze.

Someone was talking about us.

So says _your_ customs.

There were five sneezes – one for each of us.

Then why didn't each of us sneeze?

Because they were speaking of Leila primarily.

Leila curled up more firmly in Ryushi's lap and leaned against his chest again. she said. It's just your fuzzy shirt. It tickled my nose and – you know me, I get one sneeze and it turns into a fit. You could have warned me, Neona.

I was watching a different future.

Oh? Let us see. After a while, she said, Well, that was interesting.

Neona remained silent. Kelly cackled, as was her wont.

Leila hmmed.

Ryushi shifted to a more comfortable position. Can we do something else now?

She tipped her head back to look at him. You don't like contemplating your paintings?

The blood's dried and it's flaking off. It's boring.

Leila said, drawing the word out, _we_ could always do something, but I don't know if brother-dear wants to add incest to the list of his sins.

Ryushi blushed.

Eric chuckled.

Go off with Ryushi, Neona said unexpectedly.

Leila said nothing aloud, but she leered at Hina, whose ears flared red for a moment, and who glared back. Shut up, she muttered.

Leila laughed.

Ryushi stood up, picking her up at the same time, and teleported away before she finished.

Eric looked at Neona, who was staring into space, at Kelly, who was giggling to herself, at Ryushi's dried and flaking blood-paintings, and at Neona again. He sighed.

Suddenly a pack of pseudo-worshippers descended on Kelly and carried her off.

Eric asked the sky.

Neona told him. He turned to her, surprised that she would surface from her trance so quickly. Now we _finally_ have time to ourselves. And she smiled.

-

Ryushi kissed Leila, trying yet again to draw some kind of feeling from her. And though she returned everything with equal passion, he knew – he could _feel_ that her heart didn't clench or twist like his did, that her world did not narrow to just them as his did, that she wasn't happy just _being_ with him the way he was with her. Yet her heart quickened like his, and she ignored breathing in favor of him like he did before, and she still chose to be with him over anyone else. He didn't understand.

And so his heart hurt, and he fought back tears, and she pulled away from the kiss with a sigh of simulated sadness to simply cradle him.

It was so much easier when we weren't as strong, she said at last, staring at the ceiling dry-eyed although her voice sounded old and tired and desperately unhappy.

He nodded against her chest. After another long pause, he said, I love you.

I know.

Ryushi lifted his head and looked down at her, surprised to see her actually crying. But no, she still felt nothing. It made him feel like nothing.

I'm sorry, she said. I would love you if I could.

He nodded and kissed her again and let his tears mingle with hers.

~~~-~~~

Shiko stomped a foot. Grandpa! Do we get to have a group or not?

Old Mr. Takatori chuckled. Wait until your birthday, child. It's only a few months.

But we want it now!

Oh? Maybe I shouldn't trust you with the position just yet.

She pulled herself together. I'm sorry, Grandpa. I'm just excited. Besides, I'm already sharing it with Taro.

Yes, yes. Why don't you go play with him now? The months will pass quickly enough.

The room darkened and a pair of red eyes glowed over his shoulder for a moment.

Yes, Grandpa. She pivoted abruptly and strode out of the room, into the hall. Once she was a fair distance away, she let the smile she had been fighting back appear. Play' with Taro, indeed. 

~~~-~~~

Ai blew on her nails. She had just repainted them white, after an opponent had had the temerity to almost crack one and dust another with gunpowder. Ah well, he'd been taken care of, so there was no point getting mad. After a few minutes, she tapped on the nail most recently painted, and, satisfied that it wouldn't be messed up, rolled over on the bed to look at the room's other two occupants. 

One was a woman of a more sexual beauty than what Ai prided herself on – she was much happier being mildly exotic than she felt Rou was with being overblown – with purple-black hair, indigo eyes, a dark business suit, and makeup intended to make her skin seem paler than it really was. She was glaring at the third person.

He was just as beautiful as either of the two women, and quite handsome to boot. At least, Ai consoled herself, no one else would get to run their fingers through his hair, or get his ice-blue eyes to warm. He was quite adamant in distrusting everyone and distancing himself from the world in general. He was also glaring back at Rou, and ever-so-subtly skootching away from her. 

Ai sighed. Another silent argument – Rou was upset that Aki didn't fall slavering at her feet like most men did, and Aki was upset that Rou wanted him to. Time to break them apart.

Aki, be a dear and open the window, would you? she asked. It's stifling and I can't.

You can, he muttered, but obeyed nonetheless, because her whip was next to her, and he still winced occasionally when he remembered her last demonstration of dominance. 

Rou, why are you glaring, dear one? You know I love you madly.

Yes, but why doesn't Aki?

Because he's smarter than me: he knows you don't love anybody.

Aki snorted. he said.

And because you're a woman, and we all know Aki would much rather be in love with a man.

Rou snickered.

In fact, beloved, I do believe he's fallen victim for his own reflection, just as you have.

Now both of them glared at her.

She put on a confused expression. Don't tell me you're in love with _me_!

The glares intensified.

You _are_? My goodness, how did this happen?

I do _not_ love _you_, Aki spat.

Neither do I.

In that case, she said, sitting up and abandoning childishness for the moment. The strength that made her their leader gleamed in the back of her eyes, and they straightened. You can go babysit the two idiots for a while, and send Kaz to me. At least _he_ is decent company.

Yes, Ai, they mumbled, and left.

-----~~~-~~~-----

Still no reviews to reply to, darnit! Well, even if you won't talk to me, I'll keep on with it. Just means you don't get any input on how it turns out, is all. 


	6. Red Justice

Disclaimer: I do not own Weiß Kreuz. I do not own the angel idea. I do not own Yuu Yuu Hakusho. I do own Schwarz (my Schwarz) and Rot and Blau and Farblos. And this story, of course, is mine. 

-----~~~-~~~-----

Blau

Red Justice

-----~~~-~~~-----

Omi and Nagi were putting an especially large and heavy arrangement on a top shelf when the door jangled, signifying a customer.

Omi called. Just a minute please. A final adjustment and he turned, speaking at the same time. How may I help—

A girl he had _seen_ die smiled at him from just inside the door.

Ack.

Nagi said, his voice questioning.

Hello, Nagi-kun, Omi-kun. 

Omi tried to say something, but it came out as somewhere between agh' and ack'.

Nagi just stared. He didn't even notice as the printer in the other room started printing without a command, or as the question marks it printed out came floating down the hallway to dance around him. Yohji, who had followed the paper into the shop, looked oddly at Nagi. He supposed he should be glad that there was no one in the shop. No, wait, there was—

Yohji had seen Tot die too. He goggled.

Tot blinked innocently. I liked the sakura dance better, I think, she said.

Nagi blinked as well, looked around, noticed the question marks dancing around him, and blushed. They settled to the floor.

Omi finally managed words. The hell? I saw you die!

You did? Tot tilted her head to the side.

Nagi bit out. 

Tot looked at him. 

I was there, he said. The room collapsed; you fell on top of me. I _felt_ you stop breathing. I _felt_ your heart falter and stop.

Her face cleared and she reached out – Yohji and Omi noted, dimly, that she carried neither a parasol nor a stuffed animal – to Nagi, taking his hands in hers and trying to coax them to unclench. Yes, I did die then. Tot died, along with the rest of Schrient. I'm just Namami, now.

As Nagi slowly forced himself to relax, Yohji muttered, I find it hard to believe you came just to tell us something you didn't know you'd have to tell.

No, I didn't. There there, Nagi-kun. Calm down. It's alright.

So why did you come?

She just looked at Yohji for a moment until he flushed lightly and looked away. Then she said, I've come to invite you to visit our group.

Omi asked.

You know, from Ilde's message to Shou, about the three groups and the common enemy? Rot is now operational.

~~~-~~~

Close up shop for me, would you? We're expecting visitors.

Aya smiled. Sure, no problem. Is _everyone_ expecting, or

Well, everyone's got to be here, but it's special for _you_ in particular. Kimberly beeped Aya's nose playfully. Ran _is_ a part of Weiß, after all.

Oh, them. Aya's face fell.

What's wrong?

I just – will Ran-nii be upset with me for doing this?

Kimberly floundered a bit. She wasn't sure – Ran wasn't her specialty.

Not _upset_, exactly, Ruth said, leaning in the doorway and staring off into space. He felt guilty that he had to do what he did to take care of you. He'll probably feel guilty for pushing' you into this. But upset with _you_? She snorted. I don't think he's capable of it.

Aya, did you feel guilty when you came to us?

Not really, she said slowly. I mean, I felt bad the first time She trailed off, noticing a customer who seemed a bit too interested in their conversation, though he tried to hide it. But I don't regret my decision.

Then he'll accept that, Ruth said. And he might even feel a bit better about himself.

The door banged open and Yepa strode in, a dark-haired man with sunglasses and complicated tattoos on her heels.

Ruth waved to her. Hey! You found him?

Yepa glared in response, and turned to the customers. If you're not buying something, leave! We close in ten minutes.

~~~-~~~

Ai examined her nails as she waited for Aki and Rou to stop glaring at each other and start paying attention to her. After what seemed like an eternity to her, Kaz leaned back and looked at her, signaling that everyone else was ready to listen. She looked up. Tomorrow we meet our new 

Rou perked up. 

Takatori. Taro and Shiko, twins. A tendency to cross-dress, a close likeness, and in love with each other. A pair of Chinese warriors will be joining us; their personal bodyguards. This group is to be a present to them on their birthday.

Aki snorted. How long?

Until they become tired to killing people personally, or good enough that they don't need eight people backing them, even in their grandfather's eyes.

Nobunaga's eyes widened. Their grandfather is doing this?

She raised an eyebrow. It's the same man we're working for now.

He sat back. For a moment, I was afraid the situation was unjust.

Ai smiled as her eyes narrowed, and she leaned forward slightly, hand clenching around her whip. But could you doubt me? she hissed.

Rou had whipped out her palm pilot and now scribbled notes into it.

Nobunaga's eyes widened again, this time in fright, and he lunged into a bow. Of course not, my lady. Please forgive me.

Ai contemplated him silently as she stood and let her whip uncoil. Everyone backed away from Nobunaga quickly, and, after a glance in her direction, Rou put her notebook away. Sensing the movement around him though he dared not look up, Nobunaga began to tremble.   
She took a step forward, to better see what she would be doing, and then struck him with her whip, several times. 

Aki, whose pride had not let him slouch before she began, was the only one able to see that she was writing something, although he couldn't make out what. Remembering what was now carved into his back, he repressed a wince and forced himself to keep watching.

Ai said, stepping back as she finished. Now you will always carry justice with you.

Nobunaga looked up then ducked into a deeper bow and held himself there.

Etsuya, help him see to his wounds, but make sure they scar. Everyone else is dismissed. As everyone filed out, she admired her work in creating the kanji sensou' for justice on Nobunaga's back and the line of Aki's back, who she could tell felt his own mark, ai' for love, as though it burned him. The last was Kaz, who lingered in the doorway as if unwilling to leave. What is it?

He turned and came to her hesitantly, the door closing behind him. Will I ever get one of those?

It is punishment as well as a gift, she said. I will not mark you until you deserve it.

He sighed. Yes, but As she sat again, he curled up on the floor by her feet, nuzzling her leg. I want

She smoothed her hand through his hair. It will not last much longer.

He said nothing.

The handle of her whip thumped lightly as it hit the ground. Ten is too big a number. It will not last. Kaz, hold me now and let your aoi' wait.

And he did.

~~~-~~~

Yuusuke cursed himself for getting involved again. After Keiko had— eh, couldn't he think of that yet? After she had, he'd withdrawn from human company, preferring to stay in the Makai where he was well-known and well-respected and where his father's markings didn't scare the crap out of everyone. He didn't know why he'd even bothered with Yepa, only Well, she _was_ human, and he _did_ miss humanity on occasion, but she acted a hell of a lot like Hiei and wasn't scared of him. He kinda liked that. And if her eyes had been brown instead of green, her face a little more heart-shaped, her body a bit less lanky, she might almost look like Keiko

Besides, Koenma had told him he needed to check out the world's new Guardians, and Yepa knew Ruth. 

~~~-~~~

Min looked at Bryn as the taller young woman opened her eyes and smiled. Almost time?

Ilde looked up from her place on Makizeen's stomach – she had just beaten her at wrestling – and smirked. Wonder if they'll remember the message, hey?

Makizeen yanked her back down.  


-----~~~-~~~-----

**Misura (chapter 2)** –   
D'arcy Collins was the character I made up for *also a pained expression* The Sixth Gundam (man, talk about lack of imagination in a title!) That was before Kerry came along, and D'arcy's acutally the one who raised all my lovely little heterogendered clones. But she's not coming back.  
And yes. Yohji's fun to annoy. And startle.

**Misura (chater 3)** –   
Hm, I get this _after_ I post the fourth chapter, but ah well. The not-Schwarz is the new Schwarz, as I think you'll soon realize.

**Misura (chapter 4)** –   
It might be interesting to know which characters you like the best. With input, of course, I can always change things to be more interesting to those who care enough to review.   
Mmm, no, of course the future isn't all good. It wouldn't be a story if there was no conflict. *cackles a la Kelly* As I explained somewhere else, once I can get Rot involved (mission: accomplished), Blau can be completed, and I can introduce other anime/manga (as I've been intending all along), starting with the green-eyed redhead who isn't human. Guess who? 


	7. Revelations

Disclaimer: I do not own Weiß Kreuz. I do not own the angel idea. I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho. I do own the new Schwarz, most of Rot, Blau, Farblos, and this story.

-----~~~-~~~-----

Blau

Revelations

-----~~~-~~~-----

The next day found Nagi again in Ran's room, again talking to him about his sister. She wouldn't want you to beat yourself up over it, he said, sitting awkwardly on the bed Ran had refused to leave since they got back from the visit to Rot. And she said she would have done the same thing anyway, once she found out how mean the Takatori family is It's not your fault she isn't as innocent as she used to be. It's part of growing up.

Finally Ran stirred, sending him a blurry glare. Go away.

I'm not leaving this room without you.

Nagi stared at him for a while before trying a different tactic. 

Tell me what's wrong or I'll ask Shou.

Reluctantly, Ran rolled to face the ceiling and stared at it. She killed.

What if she enjoys it?

Then she'll have found her calling in life. I doubt it, though. Not even Farf _enjoyed_ killing.

Oh? I highly doubt that.

Oh, he'd try. Nagi smiled off into space. He'd try to enjoy it for a while because he thought that that was what God wanted him to do. And he'd try to enjoy it for a while because he thought it might catch God's attention. But he never _really_ enjoyed it. He returned his attention to Ran, who was looking at him strangely. Shou's going to try and explain him a bit more to Ken in just a bit. You might want to listen in.

-

Farfarello didn't hate God?

Shou sighed. People _always_ ask that. No, he didn't, not in the way you're thinking. When you were a child, did you ever try and try to get your mother's attention? Or your father's?

She's talking to a friend, or on a phone, or reading a book, or _something_, but she's not paying attention to you. And you tug on her sleeve over and over again, and call to her, and yell and scream and throw a fit, and she _still doesn't pay attention_, until you want to do anything – hit her, bite her, smash something, just so she'll look at you and talk to you. You don't care if she hits you or hugs you or anything, and you sort-of almost hate her, but most of all you're frustrated and just plain _desperate_. That's how Farfarello felt about God.

That's a very moving description.

He didn't care what God did to him, so long as he was acknowledged.

Ken nodded. I guess— well, I don't know I can really ever forgive him for all the times he nearly killed me, but I still feel sorry for him.

Shou was going to make a comment about too little, too late, as Farfarello was dead, but didn't complete the thought as he heard a raspy yet very well-known voice. They cut me off.

What? Farfarello, wh— He swallowed as he stared into the shadows of the corner. How are you alive? I felt you _die_!

They_ cut me off_, Farfarello repeated. My family, the nuns, ß – they cut me off from Him – I couldn't _feel_ Him and I thought He didn't _care_ And I had to _die_ before I could feel Him again – His presence in me, lifting me, His love and His sorrow and His purpose – but I feel Him now and I will _never_ let them cut me off again!

Farfarello! What are you talking about? How are you alive? What _happened_?

At last the others' presence seemed to register with him, and he fixed first one, then (as the scar holding his right eye closed melted away) both blood red eyes on Shou. An unseen, unfelt wind ruffled his hair as – were those feathers? – as _wings_ the same bloody color as his eyes and hair flickered into existence and stretched. He uncurled and stood, hovering scant inches above the ground, and Ken remembered that angels were too pure for their feet to touch the ground. My name is Jei, the glowing figure that Farfarello had somehow become told them, and I am His messenger. He held out a hand, and even as Shou reached forward with a kind of incredulous desperation, Jei settled, his feet touched the ground, and he disappeared. 

Shou fell forward, on knees and elbows, and held his head in his hands as the carpet dampened and darkened with tears.  
Nagi moved forward, brushing by Ran, and insinuated himself so that he and Shou were curled around each other in a sort of a ball, and they clung to each other like that for a while, mourning the loss of their teammate again. Ken, despite his usual lack of religion, crossed himself and went to stand with Ran as they watched and waited for the tension to ease. 

~~~-~~~

Yohji muttered to Omi as he cleaned up some soil left over from an accident involving a careless customer and a potted begonia. 

What is it, Yohji?

I can't get rid of the feeling someone's going to walk in and muck everything up even more.

Omi blinked. Right now?

Sometime when you're around. This stuff _always_ happens when you're around.

Yohji sat up, dustpan (with the last of the dirt) in hand. First that weird Miss Collins, then Ilde, then Tot—

Omi corrected.

Whatever. That's three times now, and three times makes it more than just a coincidence. Whatever it is that's going on, it's attracted to _you_.

Yohji! You were involved all of those times, too, and Shou and Ken have got something going on with them, just like Ran and Nagi. It's not _just_ me, if there is something.

What, you mean Shou and Ken are

Not like that! It's just like, we get the newcomers, while Shou and Ken deal with Farfarello's ghost, and Nagi and Ran are sorting things out about Aya. _If_ there's a trend, which I doubt.

Yohji said again, got up, and tossed the dustpan's contents in the trash.

The bell jangled.

Omi caroled. How can I help you?

The pretty young person smiled. he said, his voice identifying what his looks could not. I've come to pick up an order of rose samples – they are in, aren't they?

I believe so, Omi said, smiling back. Surely after enough nice, _normal_ people came in, Yohji would give up his belief. May I have your name, please?

Minamino Shuichi.

Omi checked the store computer. Ah, yes. Just a moment please; I'll go get them.

As he disappeared in the back, Yohji studied their customer for anything that might support him. He found nothing in that pleasant face except for a rather feminine quality that didn't fit with either his voice or – now that Yohji noticed – his body. He was just a very graceful green-eyed, redheaded man with a face that looked like a woman's. 

His eyes widened briefly, and he dashed after Omi.

-

Kurama – or rather, Shuichi – felt a bit uncomfortable at the other man's perusal. He supposed he was just surprised that Kurama was not a woman, but there was something about him, about the way he held himself, that gave him pause. Then the man's eyes widened briefly before he hid it and he was gone, after his fellow, and moving just a bit faster than he should have. 

Maybe Yuusuke was right about this shop after all.

An exclamation of surprise came from the back, followed by some whispering. Then, as they moved closer, he could make out what they were saying.

—just a normal customer, Yohji! the younger one hissed. 

With green eyes and red hair. Remember the message?

We already worked that out – Weiß and Schwarz and Rot and Blau, and all that. What's your point?

The last line before she told Shou to tell us. A rustle of paper. 'Those with red hair and green eyes aren't human,' she said.

Kurama found himself a bit inclined to be offended. He was so human – _most_ of the time.

Yohji, there must be hundreds of people with red hair and green eyes. Just because one of them walked into our shop doesn't mean he's not human. Besides, I'd say green hair and gold eyes is more inhuman, and we've _got_ one of those already!

Kurama found himself inclined to agree. Green hair and gold eyes didn't sound very human at all.

Then the owner of said green hair and gold eyes appeared at the top of the steps, looking like he'd been crying. They looked at each other for a bit, then the other tensed ever-so-slightly, Kurama felt the brush of a mind against his, and he reached automatically for his rose.

You keep things in your hair? the other said tiredly, and came down the rest of the stairs to slump at the arrangement table. Wish I'd thought of that. My name is Shou, by the way, and the two back there are Yohji and Omi, and Ran's going to have a fit once he finds out you're connected to this too.

Not to be rude, Kurama said cautiously, but why are you telling me this?

Shou shrugged. If the people who raised me are to be believed, I'm an angel of destruction and the world should have ended half a year ago. Besides, no matter how human your body is, your mind is _not_.

Told you, Yohji said to Omi.

Omi huffed. Here are your samples, Minamino-san. I apologize for my co-workers.

It's alright, Kurama said. 

~_Jingle jingl_e~

Ruth sang, and hugged him. Reflexively, he hugged her back, careful not to drop his samples. Over her shoulder, he saw Makizeen smirking at him.

Hello, Ruth, he said. What are you doing here?

I came to introduce you, she said, smiling. Before Omi and Yohji strangle each other. This is where Weiß live and work. Guys, this is Kurama.

Omi repeated. As in—

Kurama sighed. Yes. I am Minamino Shuichi, but I am also the youko Kurama. He bowed slightly.

A pleasure, Kurama-san, Omi said, returning the bow.

_Told_ you, Yohji said again.

Omi glared at him.

Shou got up. Why are you here, Makizeen? Is there anything I can do for you?

she said, and nodded at Kurama. 

Oh, so? Should I get Ran?

She quirked an eyebrow at him. 

He shook his head and went back upstairs.

Kurama looked after him, then back at Makizeen. She was an enigmatic creature, a person he knew barely by sight, and only through Ruth's description of her. He wondered what made her as silent as most people thought Hiei. And she almost certainly wasn't just another mere human As she smirked at him again, he realized that she was, though not a telepath, extremely receptive of other's powers, which meant his own, latent abilities were probably giving her a pretty good idea of what he was thinking. He pulled gently away from Ruth and reestablished the mental barriers he was used to in his other form, and saw her nod slightly at him in approval. 

-----~~~-~~~-----

Apparently I have no reviews yet. *sigh* Oh well! On to the next chapter! 


	8. Overlapping Religions

Disclaimer: I do not own Weiß Kreuz or the angel idea or Yu Yu Hakusho or Inu Yasha. What I do own I've told you so many times I don't feel like saying it again. From here on out, assume that what I've said before still holds true, and I'll just add to either list as things go on. Hmph.

-----~~~-~~~-----

Blau

Overlapping Religions

-----~~~-~~~-----

_Hiei looked at the little shard of crystal. It sparkled at him, pulling at him in an odd manner. Shrugging, he stuck it inside his shirt._

_There he is! Inuyasha yelled._

_Hiei flitted away. Hn. Wonder what that was? Oh well – not important. He returned to the Makai and promptly forgot about it._

_Years passed. Hundreds of years passed, until the time the well connected to arrived. Kagome fell through the well for the first time. A few more years passed. Hiei passed by the well again._

_At the same time, Kagome and Inuyasha pulled themselves out, went to the door, and spotted him._

_Inuyasha being Inuyasha, he tried to give chase. Of course, he couldn't keep up with Hiei, but he did manage to track his scent outside of Tokyo (with Kagome tagging along) and caught up with him there._

_And, of course, Inuyasha being Inuyasha, he tried to attack._

_Fortunately, Kagome sat him before Hiei could leave, startling him into stillness. An odd human indeed, who didn't seek to win by any means necessary._

_ she said quietly, and bowed a little, thus earning the beginnings of his respect. I am Kagome of the Shikon no Tama. You carry one of its shards. May I have it back, please?_

_I don't carry any Shikon no Tama, he returned. If she was startled by the deepness of his voice, it didn't show. Definitely not an ordinary woman._

_You do, she said. It is near your heart and well-hidden in your aura. I'd say it's been with you a long time._

_How can you tell? he rumbled._

_Inuyasha began to stir, so she sat on him, a hand in his hair telling him to keep quiet. It has been with my soul for over 600 years, and it knows me as its guardian. Similarly, I am the only one to see its glow._

_And where is it now?_

_Getting up gracefully, Kagome walked towards Hiei, caught the sword he automatically drew in a faintly glowing hand, and reached forward._

_Hiei held absolutely still._

_With fingers unnoticeable but for their intense, searing purity, she pulled the shard from its resting place. The instant her hand touched it, it turned from dark black to blindingly clear, a paint purple and yellow glow pulsing, matching Kagome's heartbeat. She pulled the rest of the jewel from its hiding place and the two pieces fused themselves together._

_Dropping the jewel back into security, she smiled at Hiei. Thank you, she said. Might I know your name?_

__

_Kagome smiled again as she let Inuyasha rise. Flying Shadow, yes? Appropriate, but unpretentious. You're not like any other youkai I've come across._

_Hiei snorted. Of course not. If the youkai you know are like that— a contemptuous nod at Inuyasha— then they're ningen. I'm from the Makai._

_I see. The Shikon jewel does not belong to that world, which explains why it wouldn't combine with you._

_Why should it?_

_Inuyasha growled._

_It gives ningen youkai a great deal of power, Kagome said. The more – or larger – the shards, the more power. The entire jewel is enough to turn even a centipede demon into a worthy opponent._

_ Inuyasha said._

_ Kagome told him._

_Hiei smiled. Kagome, hmm? he said, grabbed her hand, and raised it to his lips. A pleasure to meet you. Blood red eyes laughed up at hers before he flitted away in time with Inuyasha's hmph. He would have to tell Kurama about her._

~~~-~~~

The hell? Ilde thought, then quickly contacted Min. /*Oi. Guess who I found.*/

/*And?*/

/*Can we?*/

/*They're your responsibility.*/

Satisfied, Ilde grinned to herself. She knew just how to get them, too. she yelled, throwing herself at the American and hugging him. Oh, God, Brad! They told us you were dead!

Large hands fell to her shoulders and pushed her back slightly, but his voice was gentle. I might as well be, he said. I'm afraid I don't remember anything before waking up in a hospital.

Producing tears, she turned to Farfarello. Jei? Tell me you remember, please!

He shook his head, sympathy clearly written in his face, his stance, and his thoughts. 

I see, she said, looking downcast. Will you at least come home again? I told Min, so everyone will know. Please?

She didn't let her eyes widen when she felt them subconsciously communicate, using the old connection Shou had put up. Instead, she just looked at them with a hopeful expression. Carefully, she inserted an urge to trust her. 

Crawford said at last. 

Smiling, she linked her arms through each of theirs, and guided them home,' chattering away about nothing, mixed in with information about the places, the people, and the relationships they had forgotten.

~~~-~~~

Kagome? You're Kagome? Ranma asked, surprised. He shouldn't be so surprised, he thought. He was nineteen, so she was eighteen. It should make sense that she was a beautiful young woman.

Kagome blinked up at him. Yes, I am. Who are you?

I'm Saotome Ranma, he said._ Sorry about this._

Ranma? She asked. After a moment of disbelief, she threw herself into his arms. Oh, it's so good to see you!

Twin growls came from opposite sides of them. Ranma immediately stiffened. 

Kagome said. Inuyasha slammed into the ground.

Akane stopped growling and looked surprised.

Ranma is my cousin, Kagome explained. His father and mine were brothers. Ranma, this Is Inuyasha, my protector. I gather that's your fiancée? Or have you married yet?

Ranma said happily, glad to get out of trouble. Akane's my wife. He freed an arm to wrap it around her waist, looking proud.

Akane melted.

Inuyasha, however, was not impressed. He pulled himself up, stalked forward, and yanked Kagome out of Ranma's grasp and into his own. He snarled warningly. Behind him, the god-tree snickered, and he blushed and pulled away before jumping into its branches. 

Kagome seemed entirely unperturbed. Akane-san, might I know what your family name was before you married my cousin?

She looked uncertain. On the one hand, Kagome was probably a very nice girl, but on the other she was just too calm and womanly and she had a bow and a quiver of arrows slung over her shoulder, and Akane still wasn't out of the habit of being jealous of Ranma. Then again, she wore miko-kimono, and there was that rough-looking guy with the white hair and dog ears, but maybe he would want to fight Ranma, and And Kagome was looking amused, which made her a little angry.

That family? Kagome raised an eyebrow.

Ranma scratched at the back of his head. 

Kagome smiled. Ah well. Love is love is love overcomes pretty much everything else. I wish you well.

Now wait a minute! Akane yelled. Are you saying my family's—

Not yours specifically, Kagome said calmly. But my elder sister was married into the main branch of the clan and went mad as a result of her treatment at their hands. I'm just saying that I won't hold a grudge.

Oh. Sorry. Then another thought came to her. Wait. How did you know—

That he loves you? Kagome smiled again, gently and a little sadly. Before we continue further, please forgive me for not inviting you in. My family is out and I must attend to the shrine. Would you like some lemonade?

Yes, please.

After seeing them settled comfortably and attended to, Kagome eased into a half-ready position near the god-tree, and resumed. The Saotome family tradition is to make as many possible matches for its children so they can have the honor of an arranged marriage as well as the comfort of a love-match. Both Uncle Genma and my father went through an ordeal much like Ranma's, although from the occasional letter we get about it, I think his was far more chaotic than most. Although my father had to take my mother's name to enter our family, he tried to continue the tradition, so I know.

The whispering in the god-tree stopped abruptly.

However, I'm following in Grampa's footsteps, and my father died before he knew about Souta, so the tradition did not continue after all. She took a deep breath, looked up at the god-tree for a moment, and turned back with her smile firmly in place. So why are you here, cousin? Surely this is not just a polite visit?

Um, well Ranma scratched the back of his head nervously. Pop wants you to come to stay with us at the dojo. He says it's his duty to take over where his brother left off.

Kagome shook her head. _My_ duty holds me here.

Genma, true to form, showed up. Don't argue, girl! The family honor—

Has been upheld, she interrupted firmly. As my grandfather's heir, I am bound to this shrine, to the dry well, and to the god-tree. Moreover, I am the priestess of the Shikon no Tama. It is a devotion longer than life, stronger than marriage, and more important than honor. Besides, she said, leaning against the god-tree, I already have someone.

And who would that be? Maybe, Genma thought, if it was someone they'd already made an agreement with

That would be me, a voice said as its owner slid down from the god-tree.

Genma fell over. Akane stared. Ranma said, uncertainly, Cousin, I didn't know that you uh

Kagome blushed and looked irritated.

Or rather, the male me.

Massive face vault.

Inuyasha yelled, also dropping down from the god-tree and trying to strangle her.   
She evaded him with apparent ease. she said. You really do hate all your surviving family members, don't you?  
Kagome sat up and calmly sat Inuyasha. 

I'm so hurt, Shaya said, snickering. You'd think you'd love yourself better than that.

Shut up, her – brother, for lack of a better word – ground out. 

Of course, where one went, the others were soon to follow. Sessa (who had a strong resemblance to Shaya and Inuyasha, but had stripes on her cheeks and arms and a crescent on her forehead in the place of dog ears) and Nara (who had rather wavy black hair and seemingly no pupils) jumped down from the god-tree as well and framed Shaya, all three of them grinning at the Saotomes while Kagome rubbed the bridge of her nose. I really should get rosaries for you three, she commented. 

And she-who-is-not-in-this-story would take them off again, Nara said.

Kagome gave them a weird look. You are stra~ange.

Of course! Let us have our fun. Haven't we been helping you?

Not really. You're just annoying.

Genma gaped at his nieces handling of these – these – these _demons_.

At least we admit it, Sessa said with a snort of laughter, squatting down and helping Kagome up. Naraku is a power-hungry idiot, Sesshoumaru is full of himself and a prick (although he's getting better), Inuyasha's angry, rude, and overprotective, and we're sadistic. Those are the facts of life. But we don't kill you, we don't go after the jewel, and we confuse your enemy. You like us. She winked and they ran off somewhere so fast they couldn't bee seen.

~_Hwoooooooooooooooooo_~

After a long pause, Genma spoke. Were those demons?

They are youkai, yes. Kagome said.

Ranma, you must send them back to their own world!

Inuyasha snickered.

This _is_ their world, uncle. Those are ningen youkai. Now, if you want one from the Makai

Genma looked very nervous.

then I'm sorry, but the barriers between the worlds have recently been renewed. They won't start showing wear for another 150 years or so.

And he could breathe again. There was still the matter or marrying her off, but

I can't leave, uncle. But if you like, you're welcome to stay for a while. I guess.

Genma's eyes lit up. He'd be able to fulfill his brother's duty after all! Thank you, he said, suddenly polite. We'd love to.

Actually, I'd like to go home. Right, Akane?

Genma fell over again.

~~~-~~~

Kerry sat in the middle of nowhere and mused. She-who-is-not-in-this-story, huh? Oh well, at least they hadn't called her Mama'.

~~~-~~~

Listening politely to Ilde, Jei was completely unprepared to see a face very similar to his own pop up not more than a few inches away from his own. He recoiled, reaching automatically for a nonexistent knife.

Makizeen handed him a knife and looked at Ilde. she said simply. Do they remember?

Ilde shook her head. They don't remember anything before a hospital, she said. 

Makizeen stood there for a moment, then gently took the knife back from Jei, not bothering with reacting as the sharpened metal cut into the fold of skin between her thumb and index finger. I'll tell Min, she said, and disappeared back down the stairs that appeared magically as they approached. 

Jei? Are you okay? Ilde said, looking worried. I apologize for Maki. She doesn't really think about the effect her actions have on people.

It's okay, he assured her, and let her lead him into down the stairs and into the new Schwarz headquarters. 

-----~~~-~~~-----

Of course there's no reviews! This is the same day! Mwahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaa! *cough cough*

**Misura** – I told you Brad would be back, didn't I? 


	9. Things Unseeming

Disclaimer: I do not own Weiß Kreuz or the angel idea or Yu Yu Hakusho or Ranma 1/2 or Inuyasha or any of the other anime/manga that I will be eventually working in here - and truth to tell, I'm tired of saying it. However, everything that doesn't belong to anyone else belongs to me. And I'm not going to tell you who everything that doesn't belong to me does belong to because I'm not free advertisement, thank you very much. If you're reading this, you probably already have a good idea anyway.  
  
AN: I can choose between a losing formatting and replacing normal symbols with strange ones. I choose the former, so now ~blah~ is stressed stuff, that would otherwise have been in italics.  
  
-----~~~-~~~-----  
  
Blau  
  
Things Unseeming  
  
-----~~~-~~~-----  
  
Although he liked Ilde very much for some reason he couldn't name, Brad was not comfortable with Bryn. She was always so serene and calm and ~knowing,~ as if she always knew just exactly what was going on and why and where and. Well, he supposed that she did. Both he and Jei had been gently reintroduced to the fact that the four girls they were staying with - for some reason, he couldn't think of them as family - all had. special abilities. Bryn ~was~ precognitive, so it made sense that she'd always know what was going on, because she'd already seen it. But then, wouldn't she be seeing the future at the same time as she was reacting to the present? Wouldn't it be a bit confusing - seeing both present and future at the same time, and keeping them straight and. Oh, he was just going to give himself a headache, thinking like this.  
  
But Bryn still made him uncomfortable, and for some reason he felt like it should have been he who knew a bit more than she did - maybe not everything, but important things like when the next mission would be and why and for who and if there would be any problems with either the employer or anyone who might interfere - probably Weiß, at that - and how much sleep Schuldich would need beforehand to perform at peak and-  
  
What was he ~thinking~?  
  
Missions? Weiß? Schuldich? Where had he gotten the idea that - Jei didn't seem like the right name, but it was he nonetheless - was insane? Where had he gotten the idea that he, Brad, was precognitive? Why did he have this sudden dislike for the name Bradley?  
  
"You're remembering."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You're starting to remember your life before the hospital," Ilde said. "When you do, remember also: you're part of us, now. The others have gone their own way."  
  
-  
  
In the kitchen, Jei slumped a little on the stool. So that's what it was. He was just remembering.  
  
It would explain a bit, he supposed, why he wasn't all that comfortable in Makizeen's presence. Maybe if he had been more like her before he lost his memories, he was uncomfortable seeing, essentially, himself from the outside.  
  
But no, that didn't seem quite right. Maybe he was uncomfortable because she ~wasn't~ acting like he used to, before he lost his memories, and so it was like seeing himself acting out of character, and from the outside on top of that?  
  
But how could she be himself when she was female? And why did he get the feeling that gender was really immaterial?  
  
He supposed it really didn't matter. If he was remembering, then he'd stop feeling like he was missing something, hopefully. And it was all dependant on His will, anyway.  
  
Not even realizing that he hadn't thought that way in a long time, he went upstairs to his room to pray.  
  
~~~-~~~  
  
Kurama did, in fact, like Kagome very much. He enjoyed teasing her, and flirting with her, and being her confidant when it came to Inuyasha and the past, and playing big brother around such annoying people as Hojo and Kouga and Genma.  
  
He had started off by pretending to be in love with her - it was a pleasant enough fantasy, and if she returned his 'feelings,' he had no doubt but that he could return hers to an extent. Unfortunately, his sense of humor had gotten in the way, and after one very interesting afternoon, Lover- Shuichi became Big-Brother-Kurama.  
  
--@--[flashback]--@--  
  
"But Kagome~~!"  
  
She giggled. "No."  
  
"Why not?" He pouted.  
  
"I am the priestess of the jewel." She touched the almost-complete jewel reflexively. "I cannot be else until my duties are completed." She gave him a sharp look. "And if you think you can complete them for me, that's happened twice before, and the results were nasty."  
  
"You don't trust me? I would not use the jewel for ill."  
  
"You might not be able to help it." She leveled a look at him that made him think she knew much more than he had told her. He was right. "As a ma- youkai, you should not be receptive to the jewel's influence. But with this human body-" she poked gently at his shoulder. "It might be enough. And then your nature would corrupt the jewel, which would, in turn, corrupt you. I prefer not to take that risk."  
  
"You knew?" He looked surprised. He ~was~ surprised.  
  
"If I can sense shards of he jewel, why should I not be able to sense youkai, no matter what form they wear?"  
  
"Does it upset you?"  
  
"No. Like Shippo and Inuyasha, your 'feel' is rather comforting."  
  
"I see. Kagome. are you. serious about Inuyasha?"  
  
Knowing that Inuyasha was in the tree outside the window, and could hear everything they were saying, she smiled. "I have been his ever since he put my life before his own."  
  
Hiei was in the tree too, and they both knew it. "His to have and to hold, to protect and to cherish and to guard, his to keep, his to love and to love him in return. Yes?"  
  
She blushed a little. "Yes."  
  
He hugged her and kissed her forehead. "Then you don't mind that I feel the same way about Hiei."  
  
Kurama heard sputtering from the tree. Kagome sensed his aura change as he nearly fell out of the tree. "Oh, no. I figured that out a while ago. Dear me, Hiei, are you alright?"  
  
Hiei glared up at them from his new place on the ground. "Hn."  
  
Kagome laughed. "You should go comfort him. I'll see you tomorrow, Shuichi- kun."  
  
"Please, call me Kurama, since you know what I am."  
  
She grinned. "Alright. I'll see you tomorrow, Kurama-nii."  
  
--@--[end flashback]--@--  
  
Ahhh, the joys of brotherhood. Speaking of which.  
  
"Let me go, Dog-turd!"  
  
"Idiot." He whapped Kouga on the head and secured his arm more firmly about the other's waist, keeping him off the ground. "I'm a fox, not a dog."  
  
"Whatever! Let me go: I'm visiting my woman."  
  
"No, you're not. Kagome is having some private time."  
  
"With you?" Kouga sneered.  
  
"If I were with her we'd be together behind a locked door and you'd ~know~ what we'd be doing. No, she's with Hiei."  
  
"Oh." Kouga remembered Hiei. "Ack. Maybe tomorrow?"  
  
"Maybe not, unless you'd like to fight off her cousin."  
  
It might not be a good idea to antagonize her through her family, but still, he was sure she'd understand. "Feh. As if he could stand against me."  
  
"Idiot," Kurama said again, and whapped Kouga on the head again. "He's the one who killed Saffron."  
  
"Oh." Kouga remembered Saffron too. "Ack. Maybe next week?"  
  
"That depends," Kurama said gravely. "Now go away."  
  
Once he was free, Kouga scampered.  
  
~~~-~~~  
  
Jei - even if he ~had~ been Farfarello, he was Jei now - walked downstairs to find Brad almost visibly steaming. "So you remember too," he said. "It's His will. Deal with it."  
  
-----~~~-~~~-----  
  
Neko Lynn - You're going to have to wait, dear one. Maybe, probably not. It requires different geography. You'll have to content yourself to get along without OP. 


	10. Angels and Demons

Disclaimer: I don't anything but what I own. If you think this is weird, is crazy, thanks. If you don't understand it, hopefully you will if you keep reading.  
  
-----~~~-~~~-----  
  
Blau  
  
Angels and Demons  
  
-----~~~-~~~------  
  
"Ahh---" Ilde stretched. It had been far too long since their last mission. It wasn't much, just protecting some old geezer while his grandchildren went out with the bodyguards, but at least they were doing ~something~.  
  
Huh - Jei and Brad hadn't seen their mission 'costumes' yet. Ilde grinned. She was sure they'd hate them at first - at least, Brad would - but she deserved to see more hunky guys in less clothing more often. Not that she was really interested... She supposed that was a side-effect of what she was.  
  
Speaking of which, she really should stretch those too. And then make sure to get Brad and Jei their outfits for the mission. Ooo, but Leila had such great taste.  
  
~~~-~~~  
  
Leila quirked an eyebrow and leaned back over the chair's armrest to regard her half brother. "Things are coming together," she said. "Should we move out?"  
  
"You're going to strain your neck if you keep doing that," Eric said. "Let's wait until youkai meets vampire and returns."  
  
"Sure, sure. Oh, Neona? I've got another convert."  
  
"Determined to try out your ideas on another group since you can't on us?" the other said, a little distant as she watched a couple boring futures flash by.  
  
Since she couldn't shrug, Leila sent the impression of one instead. "I like our style too. Besides, it's sinister and elegant. We really shouldn't be all that flashy, and we don't have to deal with wings."  
  
"Brad is going to try to kill Ilde for your ideas."  
  
"She can handle it. Besides, it's not like she doesn't have that mental collar of hers around his neck."  
  
"Min holds the leash."  
  
"Doesn't mean Ilde can't grab it somewhere in the middle and tug."  
  
Neona shrugged and, as the futures became slightly more interesting, ignored the present.  
  
Eric ran a hand through Neona's hair, sighing lightly. "How's Kelly doing with that group?"  
  
"She's getting drunk off their deaths again," Leila said, making a face. "But Ryushi's almost there, so they'll be back soon."  
  
"Ah. And the others?"  
  
"Mmn."  
  
"Ah."  
  
~~~-~~~  
  
Somewhere, in the darkness, a man plotted against his enemy. Everything was almost ready. Even that last ingredient...  
  
~~~-~~~  
  
"Brad..." Ilde shook her head. "You're an ~angel~. That means you look ~damn~ good in ~anything~." Brad glowered at her. "Why can't I wear a shirt?" he asked again. "This is why:" She peeled off her shirt and unclasped her bra and turned her back to him. Brad's eyes widened, and then he strode from the room, muttering about hallucinations and cold, windy nights without shirts.  
  
~~~-~~~  
  
Shou hadn't been all that surprised to find out that old man Takatori didn't trust them completely - he never had. So, of course, while the grandkids were off doing whatever they were doing, probably involving the usual Takatori psychosis, not only did Weiß have to stand over the old man, but so did another group. This other group was in charge of the grounds and of coming running should Weiß turn on him - as if he wasn't still a nasty old geezer with one hell of a streak of luck and scary way with guns.  
  
He had been surprised when he found out just who the other group was.  
  
"Brad," he said in an odd voice. "Why aren't you wearing a shirt?"  
  
Brad jerked his head in Ilde's direction. "She won't let me."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"He knows very well why," Ilde said, having caught the conversation. "Why don't you show him?"  
  
"I still say it won't happen."  
  
"It will."  
  
"Look, humans don't just-"  
  
/*Do it.*/  
  
He gave up the argument and just looked plaintively at her. **How?**  
  
/*They're there. Push.*/  
  
He grit his teeth, closed his eyes, and complied. The pain twisted his face, and he dropped first to Ilde's shoulder and then to the ground to brace himself, and held his breath to keep from crying out and to keep pushing, and then- it gave way. He still had to push against it, and the pain was stronger, sharper, but it was easier.  
  
Shou stared in morbid fascination as the skin underneath Brad's shoulder blades darkened in vaguely linear shapes, and then bulged as if something was pressing against it. The bulges grew, the skin thinned, and finally - with an effort so strong Shou picked up on the secondary pain of the headache that squeezing his eyes that tightly was giving him - the skin burst and a pair of black and bloody wings shot out to extend fully and tremble. After a moment, he relaxed, and they folded halfway, drooping around him. The blood that streamed down his back cleared and turned to a sweet-smelling, sparking liquid much like water. He lifted his head.  
  
Shou started to move forward, but Ilde acted before he could, kneeling before Brad and taking his face in her hands to wipe away the few tears that had made it out. "The first time is always the hardest," she whispered. "After this, it won't hurt at all - maybe be a bit uncomfortable, but that's all. But see? They're there. What did I tell you?"  
  
"You ~didn't~ tell me it would hurt like that," he said, voice strained.  
  
"Yes, well, I wasn't entirely certain that it would."  
  
That got her glares from both Shou and Brad. Ilde sighed.  
  
----------  
  
Whee, Kerry thought. More exposition.  
  
----------  
  
"See, it's different on everyone. You had to break through your humanity to get your wings - and it probably hurt as much as it did because you really didn't want to believe you were anything other than what you'd been raised to think. The only person who won't have any pain at all is Jei, although Bryn and I came close."  
  
"You are, of course, going to explain that last statement."  
  
"Fine, fine. Jei died. Moreover, since he's reconnected to God, he's technically already an angel. I know what you saw, Shou. It wasn't real, per say, but it wasn't false either. As for me and Bryn... Well, she's a pretty powerful pregoc, wouldn't you say? And an oracle. She's used to being a sort of vessel for deities. And me? I'm like Shou - I can speak to the dead, why shouldn't I be able to communicate with God? Granted, He didn't like it the first time ~I~ started the contact instead of him, but things worked out and all is well."  
  
"There's a phrase that will ~definitely~ be used at some point," Makizeen said out of nowhere.  
  
"Oh?" Ilde asked, glad to be distracted. They ~were~ on a job, after all.  
  
The other grinned. "God's in His heaven, all's well with the world."  
  
"Heh. Well, guys, we got jobs to do. See you 'round, lover-boy."  
  
"Oh ~yuck~," Shou said, getting up and retreating to where the rest of Weiß and old Mr. Takatori waited. "That would be like screwing my own ~sister~. I did ~not~ need that image, thank you very much."  
  
~~~-~~~  
  
"Hm?" Ilde spoke into her rarely-used cell phone. "Yes sir. Be right there."  
  
Not even ten minutes later, she was facing Mr. Takatori as he sat in his wheelchair, the shadows behind it doing their best to be intimidating as always.  
  
"Was anything wrong with the mission last night, sir?" she asked.  
  
"No, no. It was fine. However, since I have not yet arranged a contact for you... Here." He held out a sheaf of papers.  
  
She took them wordlessly, emotionlessly.  
  
"I expect results as soon as possible," he said.  
  
She gave him a stiff, shallow bow, and left the room. Once outside, she got into a bookstore, headed for a random section, opened a book, and let herself finally laugh.  
  
The young man slowly backed away from the crazy lady who found Cthulu so amusing.  
  
"Stupid old twit," she muttered. "Thinking- Hah. Man, what an idiot." And she laughed again, loudly.  
  
The young man stopped edging and ran.  
  
-  
  
A little later, she walked into the underground headquarters' main room, having suppressed her laughter into the occasional snort.  
  
Bryn looked faintly amused. "They're in the park," she said. "And that's where you need to tell them."  
  
Ilde looked at her, raised an eyebrow, and walked back out.  
  
-----~~~-~~~-----  
  
Neko Lynn - This kind of review does not usually spur me to do any kind of updating. Today is an exception. Try harder next time. 


	11. Lessons Learned

Disclaimer: You all should know the drill by now. No, if you recognize it from someplace other than one of mine, it ain't mine. Probably. If someone's been ripping me off, I want to know.  
  
-----~~~-~~~-----  
  
Blau  
  
Lessons Learned  
  
-----~~~-~~~---  
  
"Lord, what fool this old man be," Ilde sang out as she reached her teammates. They looked vaguely interested, so she flashed her bundle of papers at them. "Not only does he make the mistake of thinking that we'll work for him, he pays for everything in advance ~and~ mistakes our number."  
  
"Old Man Takatori?" Brad asked.  
  
She nodded, grinning.  
  
"What are they?" Makizeen pointed to Ilde's bundle of papers.  
  
Ilde promply displayed them again.  
  
These," she drawled, "are four round-trip tickets to London via a personal plane. Oh yeah, he also thought I was the leader."  
  
Min snorted. "And what did he expect you to order us to do?"  
  
"Off somebody named Hellsing. Apparently, she wouldn't sell him her vampire. ~I~ don't think it's that simple."  
  
"And he wants us to bring the vampire back?"  
  
Ilde snorted, following the general trend. "As carry-on luggage."  
  
Min sat up. "I agree with Shou. He's a perverse old psycho. Tear them up."  
  
"Give them to me," a low, masculine voice counter-ordered.  
  
/*This the guy?*/ Ilde asked Bryn and Brad, just to make sure.  
  
/*Yes,*/ they said.  
  
Min 'nodded' at them and raised an eyebrow at Sesshoumaru. "Oh?" she said. "And why should I?"  
  
When he blurred to grab them instead of answering, Ilde was ready and blurred herself to a tree on the other side of the clearing. Then she very deliberately tucked the tickets down her cleavage. He growled.  
  
"You will explain," Min said calmly. "Or you won't get anything."  
  
"This Sesshoumaru does not need to explain anything to the likes of you."  
  
Ilde snickered from her place in the tree. "This Sesshoumaru must be in danger of forgetting his name or he wouldn't speak of himself in the third person."  
  
"Why maru?" Makizeen asked, interrupting Sesshoumaru's glare. "Are you not old enough yet?"  
  
Jei leaned against his tree and ~grinned~.  
  
/*One would think,*/ Ilde mused to everyone, /*that five hundred or so years would be enough to drop the young man's ending.*/  
  
**He must not have settled down yet,** Brad said.  
  
**Poor baby.** Still grinning, Jei pulled out a skinning knife and started chewing on it. Sesshoumaru launched himself at Ilde again, who simply transferred to another tree before dropping down behind Min. Then he fell out of the tree and settled for sulking underneath it.  
  
Min raised an eyebrow at him.  
  
"If I can get to London, I should be able to lose the ending," he said at last. "My fiancée has been trapped there for some time, and I need to go in person to find her."  
  
Min smiled. "Need a couple of bodyguards?"  
  
"What?"  
  
Jei carved into his arm and watched as the clear liquid fell to the grass and the wound healed almost instantaneously. The tree he was leaning against visibly grew and strengthened as it soaked up his 'blood'. "It should be pretty obvious by now that we're not mere humans," he said. "And if your mate could be trapped, so could you. We'll prevent that."  
  
"Besides, I've got an idea as to who this vampire guy is, and I want to meet him," Ilde put in. "So you'd see some of us anyway."  
  
"Alright," Sesshoumaru said after thinking a bit. "But only if you're silent."  
  
Min nodded. "Ilde, Jei, you go with him. And give him his tickets."  
  
~~~-~~~  
  
They were prepared for almost anything, but not for a pale man (with a remarkable resemblance to the late Dream of the Endless) all in red to show up grinning and shoot a single, large bullet into their midst.  
  
Sesshoumaru looked down at the hole in his chest. "Ow," he said eventually. "I thought you were supposed to be my bodyguards."  
  
"You're completely unrelated to this religion. If it had hit us, there's a chance that we'd get a kick in the gears and go on rampage."  
  
Jei smiled. "If it were His will," he said.  
  
"Its not," Ilde told him irritably. "If it was, we'd be doing it already, wouldn't we? But the ß gears might start working. They were devout enough that they might have gotten a miracle if they'd asked instead of trying to take."  
  
"Actually," Jei said, sidetracked, "He's decided to sit back and watch, since His prophesy got thrown aside."  
  
"You're the one who died, not me. Oh, I wish She were here so I'd know things as you did!"  
  
"Shi?" Sesshoumaru asked. "Who is Shi? Death?"  
  
"No, her best friend. I'll explain some other time - when there's no gaping vampire to listen in."  
  
Alucard had lowered his gun when they stopped paying attention to him, and now he felt a bit irritated. He had ~not~ been gaping.  
  
"No, but you felt like it," the woman - he'd been sure she was a vampire - said. They all looked like vampires. They all were not human. They all were rather strong. But apparently. "You're not vampires?"  
  
Ilde rolled her golden eyes. "No, we're not. He's a powerful spirit with a tendency to evil-" jerking her head at Sesshoumaru, whose wound was almost completely healed- "and we should have been angels of destruction, but the Apocalypse got overthrown. Why should we be vampires?"  
  
"You're not from around here either, are you."  
  
"This form was born in Ireland," Jei said.  
  
"But he was psycho before he died. Our origins don't matter much - as far as you're concerned, we're most recently from Japan."  
  
"How do you tell vampires over there?"  
  
Sesshoumaru snorted. "We don't have vampires. We killed them off when they first tried to come over. Pathetic creatures - dependent on humans like that."  
  
"You're talking to one of them," Jei muttered.  
  
/*He feels much the same way.*/  
  
Alucard looked at Ilde sharply and she grinned at him. "In any event," he said. "Humans usually can't tell a vampire until it bites them. I can sense those who are inhuman and those who are powerful enough to potentially feed on humans. Then I look at them, and if they resemble vampires - usually their eyes are either gold or red, their skin is pale, and their hair can be odd colors as well - and if they move to challenge me, or to take out someone and I'm allowed, I go after them. You were powerful enough that you could have been the ones causing the problem we have now, so I didn't wait for you to act. The last time, I nearly lost my master."  
  
Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow.  
  
"You've been talking a lot," Ilde said. "More than usual, I'd say."  
  
He bared his teeth at her in something like a smile. "It's your fault for not being the type of being I can kill."  
  
~~~-~~~  
  
Kelly was cackling quietly to herself as she stared off into nothing.  
  
"Borrowing my mind to go spying again?" Leila asked.  
  
"Oh yes. It's funny. Look."  
  
The evil's telepath 'looked' - and chuckled. "Hmmm," she said. "This could be interesting."  
  
~~~-~~~  
  
Shiko covered her mouth with her hand as she yawned, still firing on a random security guard. "Boring."  
  
"Indeed." Ai was more than bored. She was embarrassed, frustrated. This was pathetic. "With your permission-?"  
  
"Yeah, what?"  
  
"Half of us will withdraw, thus leaving the fighting to those that remain."  
  
"Fine, fine."  
  
"You stay," Taro said from where he was watching.  
  
"If I stay, we all stay," Ai said, frowning. She really would like to teach this kid something about manners, respect, and arrogance.  
  
"We're the leaders, not you," he said coldly. "Pick five to leave, but you're staying."  
  
"Fine," she said. If he was going to pull 'rank', she'd just have to pull ability. "Kaz, take everyone but the paired bodyguards and retreat."  
  
"Yes, ma'am!" he shouted, and the group's main support, the experienced ones, abruptly disappeared.  
  
Shiko looked a little scared for a moment, then steadied herself. This was her chance to prove herself to Granpa. Really, why did Taro have to insist on-  
  
She was shoved aside as Ai stepped forward, whip whirling and snapping. Taro and Shiko looked on, disbelieving and scowling, as the woman took over completely. She caught bullets in midair with her whip, took men out with seemingly a single stroke, and walked steadily forward. The twins followed behind her.  
  
At least it wasn't really boring any more, Shiko mused.  
  
Taro, on the other hand, was upset: it wasn't fun.  
  
The final door opened.  
  
Taro smiled. Time to gloat. "Ah, Mr. - what are you doing?"  
  
Ai had reached out and simply broken the man's neck. Her whip flicked out thrice more, smashing security cameras, and then she put on a glove and pulled a small recording devise out of the target's pocket, smashing that single-handed before stepping out of the room and closing the door with her gloved hand. Then she started to walk away.  
  
"What was all that?" Taro asked, still rather upset.  
  
"I was making sure that there's no evidence on us."  
  
"What about before?" he pressed. "It wasn't any fun."  
  
She stopped and looked at him over her shoulder, smiling coldly. "That is why I was the leader of Sukida, before it became a temporary part of Blau." Facing straight again, she walked forward and out of the building, leaving her charges, the would-be assassins, to think.  
  
-----~~~-~~~-----  
  
I like this better, with the extra scenes to get the feel that the rest of the world is still out there. Also, I've split the chapter into two whole ones. Whee. 


	12. Spirits and Vampires

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own what isn't mine.  
  
-----~~~-~~~-----  
  
Blau  
  
Spirits and Vampires  
  
-----~~~-~~~-----  
  
"A vampire has many forms."  
  
"Oh? I have only two, although one can be modified as I wish."  
  
It was rather strange, Ilde reflected, how those two had come to like each other. Eh, she supposed it made sense: two primarily evil beings of a spiritual nature, one from the East and one from the West. It only made sense that they'd recognize the other's similarities and strengths and form an alliance.  
  
Alucard tsked, grinning. "Only two? How sad."  
  
"Yes, but then there are many different ~kinds~ of youkai. As far as I can tell, there are only two ~kinds~ of vampire - real and artificial. Every other variation merely deals with experience and strength."  
  
The vampire looked thoughtful. "Three."  
  
"Three?" Sesshoumaru quirked an eyebrow; he had an idea where this was heading.  
  
"Yes. There is the kind born from the union of a vampire and a human - although very rare because-"  
  
"Oh yes. Those." He sneered. "Our kind calls them hanyou. There would be more of them if the youkai who like humans did not also like killing them immediately after rutting with them."  
  
"And yet they still exist."  
  
"There are aberrations, of course."  
  
Jei snickered. "Such as his father."  
  
"Watch it, human, or-"  
  
"Or this Sesshoumaru will rip our guts out or swipe us with his oh-so- terrible poison, or something of the sort. Come ~on~, Fluffy! We're not humans and we're not mortal and we're not exactly killable, either. If you ~were~ able to kill both me and Shou, we'd just recombine into one angel, rather than being split by genders - and we wouldn't have physical restrictions like we do now, either."  
  
Alucard's eyes were twinkling. This was better than annoying Integra, Walter, and the policewoman all at once!  
  
"Hmph."  
  
"Did you ever think he might be under a spell?"  
  
Sesshoumaru, by this time, was fed up enough that he just glared at her. Jei, however, caught her idea and thought about it seriously. He was fairly certain he could support the argument.  
  
"Everywhere I've visited, there's been mention of beings who are incredibly beautiful, or masters of illusion, or wondrous spell-casters. However they do it, they enchant their prey into fascination or infatuation or a facsimile of love - and then usually either drag them off for a couple hundred years of wild sex, or kill them. If your dad was anything like you, it was probably the former, and he probably got mad and killed the creature before it could entrap him completely. But somehow, it managed to bind him to - what was her name? - your brother's mother."  
  
"Wonderful." He groaned. "Do you have any idea what it's like to be ashamed of someone for a several centuries, only to discover that maybe it wasn't their fault after all?"  
  
"Nope." She grinned at him cheekily. "We were sealed to the river Euphrates from the beginning of time until our release at ß's hands - can't help you there."  
  
"So, uh," Alucard interrupted, nervous in the sudden realization that at least two of these people were technically older than him. "What are your two forms? I specialize in darkness with lots of eyes, blood, humanoid, and hellhound."  
  
Sesshoumaru shrugged, allowing himself to be distracted. "Humanoid and true form. The humanoid I can control - it's really just a particular spell, and at my age I can modify it without thought. The other one you don't want to see and I don't want to transform into because the room's too small."  
  
"Hah." Alucard looked disbelieving, but didn't prod. "Show me a different humanoid form."  
  
"My pleasure," Sesshoumaru said, half-bowed mockingly, and stood. The black and silver leeched from his hair, his clothing changed, his eyes became more gold and slitted, markings appeared - red stripes on his arms and cheeks and a purple crescent on his forehead - armor gathered about him, and a large, long, fluffy thing that could be a tail or a pelt or a fur version of a feather boa settled over his shoulder. "I looked like this once."  
  
Alucard returned the bow, also mockingly, and stood as well. He changed too: his features became older, his hair lengthened, his clothing changed, a moustache grew, his skin paled (as if that were possible), and he appeared in general more sinister. "I looked like this once," he said.  
  
"Hah! I ~knew~ it!" Ilde said. "That's from your time as Vlad Tepesh, right? The Impaler? I had a feeling it was you."  
  
"You know me in this form?" he said, surprised.  
  
"You came damn near close to waking me up, once. That's when we were moved to another place, because He wasn't ready for the apocalypse quite yet."  
  
"You're not in connection with God," Jei said suspiciously. "How do you know this?"  
  
"I've said it before: since Shou can talk to the dead, I figured I'd be able to talk to God if I tried," she said defensively. "And I was right. Anyway, I remember a pull to consciousness and wondering if it was time, and the Almighty sending in a bunch of Turks in order to cover moving us to a different place. And then He told me to go back to sleep and I did."  
  
Alucard started banging his head against the wall.  
  
"You'll get a headache if you keep doing that."  
  
"No I won't."  
  
"Yes you will. You're giving ~me~ a headache and I'll transfer it to you if you don't stop."  
  
~~~-~~~  
  
"Let me get this straight. He wanted my master to ~sell~ me to him?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
"And when she refused - I am ~not~ for sale - he told you to kill her?"  
  
"Uh huh."  
  
"And bring me back?"  
  
"As carry-on luggage."  
  
"What did you call him, again?"  
  
"A perverse old psycho."  
  
"I agree with you completely."  
  
"Whatever." Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes. "Can we get on with the ~real~ mission, here?"  
  
"Yes, oh great and powerful ruler of the Western Lands, Fluffy-chan."  
  
He casually swiped at her, trailing poison.  
  
She dodged. The poison ate into the granite floor and wall behind her.  
  
Alucard eyed the poison with interest. "Right. The mission."  
  
~~~-~~~  
  
"So, basically, you have to rescue your girlfriend from a bunch of magic humans."  
  
"My ~fiancee~ is being held captive with magic by a wizard because he thinks she's a silver fox. Yes."  
  
"And where is this wizard?" Ilde yawned, looking bored as she leaned against a pillar.  
  
"Scotland. In a castle, also hidden by magic."  
  
"Uh huh."  
  
"It's making me think of Naraku."  
  
"He died, didn't he? I don't see any baboon-spider nasties about - aside from Nara, of course."  
  
Sesshoumaru had an odd look on his face. "Yes, he. died. You could say that."  
  
"Cool."  
  
"Given that all of us are - ahem - magical in nature, we should be able to see the castle, or at least the barrier that protects it," Alucard said, a little tired by now of these constant segues. "Can you teleport?"  
  
Sesshoumaru shook his head.  
  
"That's really Min's type of thing more than ours," Ilde said apologetically.  
  
"Heh. We ~could~ fly, but I don't think the general population would be happy with that." Jei grinned at the thought of terrifying people.  
  
Alucard raised an eyebrow. "~You~ can ~fly~?"  
  
Ilde grinned and pushed out/unfolded her wings.  
  
He raised an eyebrow. "Green wings?"  
  
"Pristine white is a fairly new idea," Jei said.  
  
"Now ~you're~ the one making segues," Ilde added.  
  
"Hmph. I'll drive us most of the way there, and then we can walk."  
  
"We." Sesshoumaru said.  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"You said 'we'. Are you coming along?"  
  
"I'm bored," Alucard whined. "My master can always call me if she needs me, anyway."  
  
Sesshoumaru smirked.  
  
~~~-~~~  
  
Almost there. Almost there. Just a few more days, and the last ingredient would be ready...  
  
-----~~~-~~~-----  
  
What was once part two now stands on its own. All Hail adding extra stuff to make chapters longer. 


End file.
